I don’t think I’ve had better roads on this entire tour. There was almost no traffic (in contrast to yesterday’s climb!), and the shoulder was adequate, if not ample. Furthermore, the drivers seemed more considerate than I’ve become accustomed to since Pueblo, Colorado. It could be due to the fact that there were usually really good sight lines, but they usually just got fully into the other lane to pass me. By the end of the ride, I was feeling pretty cheerful towards drivers in general, and I started waving at all of them. The ones traveling the same direction almost always waved, with their hands visible through their back windows. I only had one rude driver who passed very close, on a straight and flat stretch of road, with no other traffic visible. He was driving a Mercedes Benz convertible, with Texas license plates. Hmmm.
Today’s ride consisted of two climbs, with a valley between them: The Grasshopper Valley. Once I crossed the Big Hole Pass, I was in Big Hole Valley. These two valleys have enormous cattle ranches, and there are fields where hay has been baled into giant cylinders that literally go on for miles. These valleys are beautiful, and the people are friendly. I stopped for lunch in Jackson, MT. There was only one restaurant open on Thursday, and I talked to some locals about the valleys and cattle ranching. The people who live here love it here, and I can see why!
